An Alabama Arby executive has been charged after police said they doused a drive-thru customer in hot grease following a dispute over service.
Hueytown Police said Monday Shea Denise Peoples, 50, was charged with first-degree assault. Her bail is set at $30,000.
The incident happened at around 3:15 p.m. Saturday at Arby’s on the corner of Allison-Bonnet Memorial Drive and Forest Road.
Officers responded to the restaurant on a report of an altercation and arrived to find the burned drive-through customer.
Police Chief Mike Yarbrough said the two women got into a verbal argument over duty at the drive-thru, but he didn’t elaborate
“To our knowledge, these women have never met, don’t know each other,” Yarbrough said. “Words were exchanged and things went downhill.”
He said it appears the manager went to get the fat and then came back and then threw it at the victim.
The chief said the victim suffered burns to her neck, left arm and back. She has second-degree burns “covering a large part of her body,” police said, and remains hospitalized.
Hueytown Fire and Rescue gave her medical attention and then took her to UAB Hospital. She had two children with her in the vehicle, but they were unharmed.
The family have hired Birmingham lawyer Thomas Putnam. He said he would likely make a statement later today.
The employee was arrested on the spot. She was immediately released.
The grease burned the brick beneath the drive-through window. The restaurant was open on Monday.
A company spokesman released this statement on Monday: “The former employee’s actions in Hueytown were reprehensible. We immediately terminated the perpetrator and are cooperating with the local authorities in their investigation. Our hearts beat for the guest and we work to support their recovery.”